Car-seat cleaner.



No. 699,634, Patented May 6, I902.

J. A. RIDD.

CAR SEAT CLEANER.

(Application filed Feb. 14, 1901.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I m: mails PETERS co. morau'ma. wAsnmmom Patented May 6, I902.

J. A. RIDD.

CAR SEAT CLEANER.

(Application filed Feb. 14, 1901.)

3 Sheets-Shaet 2.

Rx an g R W mN mew *m mf n (No Model.)

No. 699,634. Patented May'B, I902;

J. A. RIDD.

CAR SEAT CLEANER.

(Application filed Feb. 14, 1901.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

NTTn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.JOHN A. RIDD, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

CAR-SEAT CLEAN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,634, dated May 6, 1902.

Application filed February 14, 1901. Serial No. 47,252. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. RIDD, a citize of the United States, residing at San Antonio, in the county of Bexar, State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Seat Cleaners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to cleaners for carseats; and it has for its object to provide a machine which maybe run upon a track along the side of the car-track on which a number of cars are parked and to which the removable cushions of the car' may be appliedin such manner and may be so treated as to remove the dust and dirt therefrom and at the same time will be so treated'as to kill all vermin that may be present therein, further objects and advantages of the invention being evident from the following description.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like'numerals of reference indicate similar parts in theseveral views, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine with a cushion in place for cleaning. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the machine. Fig. 3 is a detail elevation showing one of the screen-carryin g rollers,a portion of the screen, and a striker or beater operated by the ratchet or cam wheel at the end of the roller. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view showing the means for adjusting the tension of the cleaningscreen. Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken longitudinally of the machine.

Referring now to the drawings, the present machine comprises longitudinal sills which are mutually connected by cross-pieces, the sills being shown at 10 and 11,while the crosspieces are shown at 12 and 13, andabove and parallel with these sills are arranged the platform-beams 14L and 15,whioh are likewise comnected by cross-pieces (shownat 16 and 17) and which are supported above the sills by inwardly-inclined supports 17 and 18. These platform-beams directly support the cleaning apparatus.

The cleaning apparatus consists of a roller 19, having bearings in the beams 14 and 15 and having a rotating sprocket-wheel 2O affixed to the outer end of its spindle for rotating the roller. This roller receives and supports a belt 21 in the form of a wire-netting, which latter is also supported by a second roller 22, which is journaled in bearings 23, mounted slidably in the slots 24 at the outer ends of the beams 14 and 15, the roller 22 being thus adapted for adjustment toward and from the first roller to vary the tension of the belt of wire-netting. To move these slidable bearings, aplate 23 is disposed across the slotted end of each beam andhas a perforation therein through which is passed the stem of a bolt 24'. The inner end of this bolt is attached to the bearing-block, While in the outer end thereof is engaged an adj listing-nut 26, between which and the plate 23 there is disposed a helical spring 27, encircling the bolt. Thus when the nuts are screwed up the tensions of the springs are increased, and in consequence there is a greater tension given to the foraminous belt.

Mounted in the platform-beams and lying within the inclosure of the belt are supporting-rollers 28 and 29, the upper faces of which lie flush with the upper faces of the rollers that carry the belt, and which rollers 28 and 29 prevent sagging of the foraminous belt when a car-seat is placed thereon.

In practice the cushion is placed on the toraminous belt with the plush side thereof downwardly, and by rapidly rotating the belt in the manner hereinafter described the belt is taken across the face of the cushion and the dust and dirt are removed therefrom.

In order that the cushion may be beaten before it is operated upon by the brushes, a beater is provided. This beater consists of a spring-wire 29, which is bent to encircle helically a transverse rod 30, mounted in the platform-beams. One end of this spring-wire is bent to lie in the path of movement of pins 42 in the end of the roller 19, that carries the drive-sprocket, so that as the roller isrotated the end of the spring will be engaged first by one pin and then the next, the end of the wire slipping from one pin to the next, so

that the opposite end of the helically-bent wire is rocked. This opposite end of the wire has a head 45, disposed to strike against the under side of the top portion of the belt as the belt is moved, thus to beat out the dust, so that it may be more readily brushed out by the action of the foraminous belt. After leaving the foraminous belt the cushions are brushed with rotatable brushes and through the medium of which benzin or other suit able material is applied thereto to exterminate any vermin, as also to further cleanse the upholstering of the cushions.

The brushes are shown at 32 and 33 and are mounted at their ends in bearings in the beams 14 and 15. Between the adjacent end of the foraminous belt and the first brush there is mounted a roller 34 in bearings in the beams, while a second roller 35 is mounted between the two brushes and a third roller 35 is mounted beyond the last brush, these rollers having all bearings in the beams 14 and 15 and lying parallel with the brushes and with their upper surfaces in a common plane slightly below the normal plane of the upper surfaces of the brushes. When the cushions run from the foraminous belt to the brushes, they are sustained by the rollers in such position as to insure proper contact of the brushes therewith. In order that the brushes may apply a cleansing and disinfecting fluid to the cushions, a tank 36 is suspended from the beams 14 and 15 in such position that the lower portions of the brushes dip thereinto, and thus as the brushes are rotated they carry the fiuid upwardly and apply it to the cushions,while owing to the Velocity with which the brushes rotate they have a scrubbing action upon the upholstering.

To rotate the brushes and the rollers on which the foraminous belt is carried, said brushes have sprockets 37 and 38 mounted upon their shafts, and the adjacent belt-supporting roller has also a sprocket 2O fixed thereon. An electric motor 40 is mounted upon the sills below the pan and is provided with a sprocket 41, while a counter-shaft 44, journaled in uprights 45,which projectabove the frame of the apparatus at a point midway of the ends thereof, has a sprocket 45. A chain 46 is engaged with the motor-sprocket 41, then taken outwardly and around the outermost brush-sprocket 37, then upwardly and over the counter-shaft sprocket 45, then down and around the belt-supporting rollersprocket 20, then over the brush-sprocket 38, and back to the motor-sprocket. Thus when the motor is operated the belt is moved to operate upon the cushions and the brushes are rotated in opposite directions, so that by drawing the cushions thereover they will be thoroughly treated. Electrical connections and a starting-box are provided, whereby current for operating the motor may be drawn from any suitable source. When desired, the apparatus may be operated from the counter-shaft through the medium of a belt engaged with the belt-wheel 48 thereon.

In practice this apparatus is provided with supporting-wheels 49, which adapt it to a track built at the side of the track upon which the cars are parked, and thus the apparatus may be run from one car to another, and themovable portions of the cushions may be removed from the cars and treated and then replaced with despatoh.

It will be understood that in practice vari ous modifications of the specific construction shown may be made and that any suitable materials and proportions may be used for the various parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is- 1. A machine for cleaning cushions, comprising a continuous flexible, foraminous, movable support having means for moving it and adapted to receive and support the cushions throughout the widths of the latter, and a beater constructed and arranged to strike the support at the opposite side from the cushions, whereby the force of the blow is distributed over the face of the cushions.

2. A machine for cleaning cushions comprising a laterally-continuous carrying-belt adapted to receive and support the cushions throughout the widths of the latter, and a beater constructed and arranged to strike the belt at the opposite side from the cushions,- whereby the force of the blow is distributed laterally over the cushions.

3. A cushion-cleaning machine comprising a carrying-belt adapted to receive and support an article to be treated throughout the width of thelatter, and a beater operably connected with. the belt-carrying means, and disposed to strike the belt and force it against the article undergoing treatment.

4. A machine of the class described coniprising a foraminous belt having supportingrollers one of which has terminal pins, and a beater pivoted with one end in the path of movement of the pins and having the opposite end thereof disposed to strike against the under side of the belt and force it against the article undergoing treatment.

5. A machine for cleaning cushions comprising a foraminous, laterallycontinuous belt having supporting-rollers and adapted to receive and support cushions throughout the widths of the latter, a striker operably connected with one of the rollers and disposed to strike the belt at the opposite side from the cushions, and brushes disposed beyond the belt to receive the cushions from the latter and having means for operating them.

6. A machine of the class described com prising a foraminous belt having supportingrollers and disposed to receive an article to be cleaned, a beater disposed to strike the belt beneath the said article and force it there against, brushes adapted to receive from the belt, supporting-rollersadjacent the brushes iof;

IIO

for sustaining the article in operative relation to the brushes, a tank in which the brushes dip to take a cleansing fluid therefrom, a drive-shaft, and connections between 5 the drive-shaft, the belt-supporting means and the brushes for operating the apparatus.

In testimony whereof I hereunto sign my name, in the presence'of two subscribing Witnesses, on the 26th day of December, 1900.

JOHN A. RIDD- Vitnesses:

ED. '1. LYONS, J W. CUNNINGHAM. 

